When once becomes two
by Keaaluvs
Summary: The night after Natsume and Natori share their warmth in bed...Natori gets a chilling sensation. What is hiding in the shadows and what is that voice he is hearing? A demon appears and says to Natori, "Let's play a game." What kind of game is it? What is going to happen to Natori?


Natori sits at the edge of the bed, his mind a big blur. His hands entertained with each other, shaking without a single pause. He flinches at Natsume's movement on the other side of the bed.

_Paranoid..? _

A cold chill slivers throughout his body. He stands up, looks around the room in panic. He sees movement out of the corner of his eye, he quickly turns in the direction but nothing's there.

_Hehehe, what are you so shaky about? _

The voice teased in a whisper. Natori runs over to his bag and takes out paper slips, a paintbrush, and black ink. He quickly begins to write charms but he can't focus, he's too scared.

_Look at you, can't even hold the paintbrush in your hand correctly. Hehehe, you humans are so pathetic. Yet, I just love feasting on your souls!_

Natori tries to hold on his scream. He's never felt such an devious, corrupt energy in the amount of time he has been an extrocist. "Who are you?! What do you want from me!?"

_Why it doesn't matter who I am. I just want to watch you suffer, suffer so much until your soul breaks in two, then eat it. Hehehe!_

"GO AWAY NOW!" Natori screams.

"Get down!" A voice shouts outside the room. Nyanko-sensei busts through the door, jumping in front of Natori and flashes his powers. A mysterious shape begins to come up from the ground, to be exact, Natori's shadow.

_Hehehe, you found me!_

The mysterious shape begins to mold into a figure of a child. The figure is dark, like an abyss with no feature but its silhouette.

"Hmm, you aren't a youkai. My powers should have been able to kill you. What are you.." Nyanko asks.

_Ahh, cute kitty! Hehehe. _

The figure floats over to Natsume who is sound asleep on the bed. It sits next to Natsume and slowly begins to pat his head.

_Well since you guys insist on knowing..hehe, I am Natsume!_

You could hear the smirk the figure was making. Along with it was the truth.

"How is that possible?!" Natori says in horror.

"Calm down Natori, I can tell now. Look, doesn't the shape of that thing look like a child?" Nyanko says.

"You-You're right..wait don't tell me.."

"Yes..this is a demon. Also known as "The Child's Demon" they are born from a child's misery and suffering, then live within their shadows till the child no longer suffers. The only reason why they expose themself is if they are indanger or if they are wanting to feast on souls." Nyanko explains. "Now tell me, you obviously aren't in danger and I know for a fact you aren't hungry, so why are you out here demon?"

_Hehe, do I really need a reason? I already told this man I will eat his soul. _

"You can't. You're weak I can feel it. What is it you want..?" Nyanko says as he jumps up onto the bed and sits there across from the figure.

_Hmmm, okay you caught me. I am not lying when I say I want to eat his soul, but to be honest, I want to erase his existence. _

"Erase...my exsistence.." Natori says, slowly repeating the words.

_Hehehe that is right. Of course I won't do it. I can't stress my vessel, it would cause me a lot of pain. Let's make it into a game, yes? If you reject me, I will kill him. _

Nyanko looks at Natsume, then turns and looks at Natori.

"Oi, boy. You look weak. What kind of man are you? You have more strength then that. Use it to protect this child."

"Ahhh, shut up fat cat.." Natori says with a full recovered tone.

"WHAT D'YAH CALL ME?!" Nyanko hisses.

"I'll play your game," Natori says, ignoring Nyanko and standing up onto his feet. "Lay it out for me."

_Hehehe! Goodie. It's as simple as it gets. Just become non-exsistant. _

"You better not do anything to him!" Natori yells.

_Oh calm down, I can't hurt the person who has given me life. Hehehe, now! Let the games begin!_

The room begins to glow, and everything is floating. The demons power is altering life itself.

"Oi, cat. Take care of him." Natori walks over to Natsume and gently kisses his forehead. "I love you." He gently and lastly kisses Natsume's lips. "Demon child. What is your name?"

_Hehehe, I am called Efie. The beginning of the end. _

The flash becomes blinding and everything suddenly stops in time. It's suddenly morning and Natori is gone. Only Efie, Nyanko, and Natsume remain in the room.

"I will get going." Nyanko hops off the bed and heads towards the door.

_Wait. _

Nyanko stops in his tracks and looks are Efie. Efie floats over to Nyanko and shows him a crystal.

_Here that man lies in a state of time in which does not move. The goal is for Natsume, to find out the truth. Of me, how and why I was created. Then he must kill me. If and when he does, I will set this man are to come back in 10 minutes and tell Natsume that this man no longer exsists. Okay?_

Nyanko sits in silence then gets up and walks out the door.

_Hehehe, hopefully this game is worth while. _

Natsume wakes up and looks around the room. He notices all of Natori's stuff is gone. "He has a reason.." He says to himself.

Nyanko then comes running into the room. He sits at the door way and considers telling Natsume what has happened. He then sees Efie and realizes that doing so would put everyone in danger.

"Oi..Natsume."

"Mmm, Nyanko-Sensei..why are you here."

"Do you not feel it?"

"Feel what?"

"The evil presence in this room.."

"Uhmm, no..why?"

Nyanko walks over to the bed and hops up onto the bed and sits in front of Natsume.

"Natsume..that man Natori. He's gone."

Natsume face begins to darken "I noticed.."

"No, as in his existence. He no longer exsists. Can't you feel it?"

Natsume stares at the wall, his eyes widening with horror and disbelief.

"Natori-san!?"


End file.
